Bahamas CHART Centre Review of 2006

2006 was hectic yet productive for CHART Bahamas. A total of 462 HCP trained from public as well as private sector. The majority of projected activities were carried out and outputs achieved. However despite all this good news we still have much to achieve and continue too work towards the goal of leading the way to provide quality training in HIV for HCP.

 Provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS care through the polyclinics in Nassau and family islands.

1. Complete setup of the Bahamas CHART Centre Curry house is still being renovated to house the National Training Centre as well as other units of the National AIDS Program. However there is a delay in the completion of this project.

“The show must go on” CHART inherited the conference room at the HIV/AIDS Center - in-kind contribution from MOH. Renovations transformed this room to accommodate participants & 6 computers with internet services to facilitate Breeze system and online trainings. Training tables, chairs, computers, LCDs, screens, printers trainings make up the aesthetic of this room.

2. Strengthen human resources to support CHART Network Hiring of an assistant has been and still is a real challenge. “The right person for the job”. The nature of this program makes this activity even more difficult to address.

However, we addressed this issue and pressed on Use of available resources – the HIV/AIDS Centre staff members. The culture that exist within this program, team work, dedication, output orientated persons, facilitates this.

3. Strengthen communication channels to capture and collect information regarding national and regional HIV/AIDS trainings needs. The Caribbean integration of training workshop held in Barbados November was very beneficial and facilitated this. The training plan which participants developed was shared with PS, PNO, Administrators and Nursing and other supervisors. Training needs were discussed and they renewed their support for training HCP at all levels.

4. Continue collaboration with ITECH & FXB in curriculum development and accessing training materials

Aug-9 to 11: orientation for Caribbean folks at ITECH. Technical support needs were identified and supported resulting in development of M&E plan for CHART Bahamas Adaptation and Pilot of the Bahamas National PMTCT curriculum began in June. September: 1 st draft of the national PMTCT Curriculum was piloted in the form of training and TOT.

5. Collaborate with new partners ( Broad Reach, FXB, ANAC, Merck Sharpe and Dohmme, LMC, PIH) to take HIV/AIDS training to another level Study tour to South Africa & Botswana where many lessons in integrating support care and treatment into primary health care services were learnt. ANAC Association sponsored ANAC membership and registration fee to attend ANAC Conference co-sponsored with CHART for clinical mentoring training workshop, Las Vegas

Clinical Mentoring training provided the skills and knowledge for development of Mentoring framework for the Bahamas Mentoring Program The mentoring program will also be tied into the Integration of HV into primary health services: to facilitate transfer of and sustainability of the standard of care offered to PLWHA at the HIV/AIDS Centre to the community health clinics

February: LMC & Partners in Health in collaboration with CHART Bahamas conducted DOT and Skill building training for CHW to strengthen the TB and ARV DOT Initiative in the Bahamas to improve adherence to care and treatment

6. Scale up National PMTCT training programs

PMTCT Adaptation Training- workshop, September

7. Continue training to facilitate the integration process January: Clinical Management of HIV in the Bahamas – 52 physicians deployed in public health, hospital and private practice attended Level III training from 5pm to 8:00pm. This training, included didactic, skill building and preceptor ship at the HIV/AIDs Infectious Disease clinic

April: Clinical training skills (CTS) training for HCP who are wiling and able to train others May & October: VCT providers trainings and TOT – increasing the number of VCT providers by 70 and VCT trainers by 9. November: Nutrition counselling and antroprometrics June: Pediatric phlebotomy training - Level III training - preceptor ship at the Infectious Disease Specialty Clinic.

Staff training retreat. “crossing bridges and closing gaps”

Local Mobile Team Consist of experts in PMTCT, STI, adult and pediatric HIV care. Conducted Clinical Management of HIV training in Belize, and 2 family islands – Abaco and Eleuthera

Key Plans for 2007 Continue to train trainers who are strategically deployed in the health system to facilitate the mentoring program. February : PMTCT training and launch of National PMTCT Curriculum to finalize curriculum. March : Pilot of Continuum of Care postpartum for women and her infant

Key Plans for 2007 Set up and implement Breeze system to accelerate access to training, mentoring and telemedicine Conduct more level III trainings (Skill building and clinical preceptorship) Conduct at least 1 training each for dentist pharmacist and PLWHA.

Key Plans for 2007 Integrate fully, HIV pre-service education into the Bahamas School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions curricula - HIV AIDS education & orientation for chairperson and lecturers - Curricula review Train school health nurses, Samaritan Ministers and volunteers to facilitate prevention education.

The End